The rough grain of the punishment pole stood starkly in the center of the training yard. Zhu Mingyang, Gu Yingjie's personal guard from the Gu Family, was all too familiar with it; it was here that he had once traded his life for the chance at revenge. More importantly, it was here that he first realized someone still cared about him.
He wasn't sure if the cry was real or just the ringing in his ears, but he heard Gu Yingjie's sweet, soft voice calling his name. He then saw Gu Yingjie, a blur of panicked motion, flying towards him. He no longer kept track of how many times he had rushed to rescue his young master, or how many times Gu Yingjie had rushed to rescue him. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that voice, crying out, "Mingyang."
Zhu Mingyang murmured, "Yingjie…"
Mu Dishi, with his face partially covered with a white cloth, unsheathed his sword, Honglei, and flew directly toward the two chains that held Zhu Mingyang captive. With a single, decisive swing, Honglei broke the two chains, and Zhu Mingyang instantly fell to the ground. Mu Dishi helped the bloodied man sit down and used Honglei to carefully cut the flesh surrounding the hooks. He then sheathed Honglei, sat behind Zhu Mingyang, and used his potent internal energy to force the two hooks out of his body.
Zhu Mingyang let out a guttural grunt of pain as the two hooks were forcibly pulled out from his shoulders by Mu Dishi's internal energy. Accompanied by his stifled scream, three guards immediately rushed in with drawn swords.
One guard pointed his sword accusingly at Mu Dishi. "Who are you? How dare you make trouble here?"
Mu Dishi moved with lethal speed, flying toward the three guards. He released a thin guzheng string that wrapped around the first guard's neck. Mu Dishi pulled the guzheng string sharply to the left. The guard's head was instantly torn from his neck.
Mu Dishi looked at the remaining guards, his eyes cold and murderous. "I hate people pointing their finger at me." He dashed forward and released another guzheng string, wrapping it around the neck of the second guard. He asked, his voice chilling, "Gu Yingjie, where is he?"
Today, the Gu family celebrated Gu Tingfang's birthday, and every face in the mansion was wreathed in smiles. Yan Zhanjin watched, thoroughly disgusted. To these people, the cruel, inhuman punishment inflicted on Zhu Mingyang was treated as utterly normal, like a routine martial arts exercise.
He sat with the delegation from the Jinfeng Sect—including Kuo Jing Song and Kuo Ju, alongside Ma Jingguo, Kuo Wenqian, Liu Hung, and Chen Dandan. Because Gu Tingfang only invited special guests, the celebration yard was packed with leaders from the six sects and four clans, each bringing three followers. Even the esteemed Cao Fengge was present.
Everyone was gathered in the open celebration yard, watching seven dancers perform gracefully in the center.
Yan Zhanjin, ever watchful, noticed a guard hastily walk up to Gu Xiaowen and whisper something urgent into his ear. Gu Xiaowen immediately conveyed the message to Gu Tingfang.
Using the commotion as cover, Yan Zhanjin leaned toward Chen Dandan. "Shimei, I have a stomachache. I'll be back soon."
"Alright, don't take too long," Chen Dandan replied.
"I know." Yan Zhanjin quickly excused himself and headed toward the back hill of the Gu Manor.
Immediately afterwards, the four remaining guards, Gu Xiaowen, and Gu Gouliang quickly left the celebration party, following their father's hasty departure.
Yan Zhanjin ran directly toward the training ground but found it deserted. He walked back and met Yuan Chaomei.
"They are in the cell," Yuan Chaomei informed him.
"Take me there," Yan Zhanjin urged.
"I can't," she replied, shaking her head. She pointed to her left. "This path will take you directly to the cell."
Yan Zhanjin sprinted down the path to the prison. Halfway through, he collided with the escaping group: Mu Dishi, Zhu Mingyang, and Gu Yingjie. He immediately reached inside his robe and took out six medicinal pills, quickly handing three to Zhu Mingyang and three to Gu Yingjie.
Just as the brief exchange finished, twenty men dressed in black and two men dressed in white surrounded the four people, blocking their escape route.
Gu Xiaowen stepped forward, his eyes narrowed on the masked figure. "Friend, who are you? Where are you going to take our captives?"
Mu Dishi carefully handed the severely wounded Zhu Mingyang to Yan Zhanjin. He then walked in front of the three of them, positioning himself as their shield. He looked at Gu Xiaowen and said nothing, his silence a weapon.
Gu Gouliang chimed in, trying to intimidate him. "Being an enemy of the Gu family is like being an enemy of everyone in the martial arts world. My suggestion is to leave these two prisoners behind, and you two can leave here unharmed."
Mu Dishi replied, his voice dangerously cold. "I'm still an enemy of martial world, get out of my sight if you don't want to die."
Gu Xiaowen taunted him, trying to provoke a reaction. "Show your face. You have the courage to break into Gu's prison, but you don't have the courage to show your face. How pathetic..."
Mu Dishi ignored the slight and went straight to the critical point. He asked coldly, "Are you guys going to step aside or not?"
Gu Xiaowen held his ground. "If you leave the two prisoners, we stand aside. If you want to take the two prisoners, you must pass by us."
Mu Dishi simply said, "Very good then..."
Mu Dishi didn't wait for the attack. He acted instantly, proving his lethality. He sent five guzheng strings flying toward the front five guards, the strings piercing their chests. Using a wave of internal strength, he pulled the five guards forward. He then waved the strings again, and the sharp filaments cut across their eyes.
Without slowing, Mu Dishi's strings passed completely through the injured guards' chests and flew toward the next group. He used his internal strength to draw the strings out from the now-dying men's backs and sent them toward the other guards, pulling that new line of guards forward. He swiftly drew a dagger and, with a single, deadly wave, pierced the throats of five more men.
Gu Xiaowen, Gu Gouliang, and the remaining guards immediately retreated toward the open door, horrified by the carnage. Mu Dishi, now having cleared the path, turned and walked forward, flanked by Zhu Mingyang, Gu Yingjie, and Yan Zhanjin.
Gu Xiaowen, refusing to let them escape, shouted, "Kill him!"
The remaining guards lunged desperately at Mu Dishi. Mu Dishi used his inner energy to glide two swords from the ground and began to counterattack the guards, his movements now covering both defense and offense simultaneously.
Back in the banquet hall, Gu Tingfang stood up, holding a cup of wine in his right hand. "Thank you, everyone, for attending my sixtieth birthday," he announced, drinking the wine. "The House of Gu might not be a part of the martial arts world, but I want everyone to know that this door is always open to help anyone in need."
Everyone cheered and drank their wine in return.
Gu Tingfang continued, raising his voice. "I have one more thing to announce. I have decided to appoint a new heir. Gu Yingjie will no longer be my heir because he has not achieved anything in the past three years. He has shown me that he is not suitable as a leader..."
His voice cut off abruptly as a guard flew crashing into one of the tables, shattering porcelain and wood.
Every eye in the celebration yard looked toward the source of the crash. Another guard fell to the floor moments later. Everyone then looked to the left and saw the shocking sight: Gu Yingjie and a masked man were fighting fiercely with Gu Xiaowen, Gu Gouliang, and the remaining three guards. Slowly approaching the fray were Yan Zhanjin and the severely injured Zhu Mingyang.
Gu Tingfang, seeing the chaos engulf his banquet, immediately flew over and stopped his two sons from attacking Gu Yingjie and the masked man.
Gu Tingfang demanded of the stranger, "Who are you?"
Mu Dishi replied, his voice calm despite the surrounding destruction, "I'm here just to repay the debt owed to them."
Gu Tingfang stared intensely at Mu Dishi's hands. "Why do you use Mu Jiao Long's gloves?" he demanded, recognizing the distinctive item and connecting the masked man to a legendary figure.
Mu Dishi simply replied, "Stay out of my way."
Gu Tingfang issued his final warning. "You know that to take them away is to declare to the martial arts world that you are the enemy of the Gu Household."
Mu Dishi looked at Gu Tingfang with utter coldness. "Whatever."
"Very well," Gu Tingfang ground out. He lunged fiercely at Mu Dishi.
Just as Gu Tingfang attacked, Ma Jingguo flew into the air and sent a powerful blow toward Gu Tingfang's back. Gu Tingfang barely managed to dodge Ma Jingguo's unexpected intervention. Ma Jingguo flipped over and landed, standing resolutely right in front of Mu Dishi, protecting the masked rescuer.
Ma Jingguo turned to face the masked figure. "Xiao Shushu," he said, a smile breaking through his serious facade.
Mu Dishi replied, his voice still cold, "I am not."
Ma Jingguo's smile widened. "I know it's you. Only my xiao shushu can have those beautiful phoenix eyes. And when my Xiao Shushu doesn't care to reply or give an opinion, he always uses the word 'whatever'." He reached out his hand, moving to remove the cloth mask from Mu Dishi's face, but his hand was quickly stopped.
Mu Dishi said coldly, "Go away."
Ma Jingguo grabbed Mu Dishi's hand again, an attempt at familiar intimacy. "Okay, let's go," he urged, trying to end the confrontation peacefully.
Mu Dishi violently pushed Ma Jingguo away and instead rushed directly toward Gu Tingfang. The two immediately began to fight, their powerful exchange forcing the horrified guests to scramble frantically from one side of the courtyard to the other.
Gu Tingfang unleashed a heavy punch at Mu Dishi, who counterattacked with equal force, causing Gu Tingfang to be flown back several feet. Recovering quickly, Gu Tingfang released five silver leaves directly at Mu Dishi. Mu Dishi instantly countered, sending five guzheng strings to pierce and intercept the silver leaves.
Then, with a terrifying display of internal strength, Mu Dishi redirected the silver leaves back at Gu Tingfang. Gu Tingfang barely managed to dodge the deadly projectiles, which flew past him and continued their trajectory toward Si Pangfua.
Kuo Jing Song quickly picked up a stool and threw it to intercept the flying silver leaves. The leaves slammed into the stool, causing it to drop harmlessly in front of Si Pangfua.
The guests in the celebration yard stared, their eyes wide with shock. They muttered amongst themselves, a single name filling the air: "Mu Dishi."
"Did he die in Shaolin?"
"How on earth did he survive?"
"Many people saw him die?"
Ma Jingguo stood watching, a proud smile on his face. "My Xiao Shushu is always the best martial artist in the entire martial arts world," he chuckled. He reached out and held Mu Dishi's right wrist in an affectionate gesture, but Mu Dishi pulled his hand away quickly with force.